


Baby, There's a Shark in the Water

by httpsung



Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Light Angst, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-15 11:21:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12320061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/httpsung/pseuds/httpsung
Summary: It was a mess of emotions between several people and no one knew when the cycle of loneliness that caused the chaos would end.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was heavily inspired by Day6's MV What Can I Do so I created a mini series based off that video and built my own story! I really hope it's enjoyable, happy reading!

**Reader:**

 

You watched him, watch _him_.

  
Kim Wonpil was one of the nicest guys you ever met in your short lifetime. His aura was warm, his smile brighter than the sun, and his heart bigger than anyone around. Wonpil was caring, always willing to help any and everyone if he could. You were envious at just how caring he could be and in your own opinion, you knew that a person like him could care too much.  
You sat in your assigned seat in the back of the classroom, eyes gazing straight ahead at your friend who seemed to only have eyes for the boy he considered his best friend, Park Sungjin. The two had a connection so strong you knew deep down you would never understand it. They grew up together, since they were two years old and had been by each other’s side, never letting go and never looking away until Sungjin did first.

Park Sungjin had been drifting lately from you and everyone else around him but it had the deepest effect on Wonpil who didn’t know how to handle the situation. The two of them were like rubber and glue but Sungjin just couldn’t stick anymore, at least not when his mind was clouded with love.  
You watched Sungjin keep conversation with Wonpil until she walked into the room. She was beautiful and everyone knew it. You even found yourself stealing glances at her every now and then. Her name was Jina, the pretty girl, the nice girl loved by many of your peers and even the teachers enjoyed her personality.  
Sungjin was in love with her, and just about everyone could see it. Her laughter filled the room during free time, guiding eyes to look her way as she joked around with her best friend Jae, he was the class clown that had everyone laughing from time to time.

Wonpil kept his eyes on her like Sungjin did, the only difference between their gazes from what you could see was that Sungjin stared longingly and lovingly while Wonpil stared sadly in defeat. You hated that look he got when he was upset, you loved when Wonpil smiled the most, especially when it was toward you.  
You could have tried to get his attention in that moment and tear his mind away from the thought of losing the boy who was much like his brother to a girl who swooped in out of nowhere. You could have tried to get Wonpil’s attention but it was a task that had been hard for you lately, leaving your tender heart to break piece by piece each day.  
Wonpil was so worried about Sungjin’s situation, your feelings would have to remain on the back burner for a while.  
You told yourself each morning that it was fine, it’s not like he knew you loved him anyway.

**Wonpil:**

  
It’s always for a short period that Wonpil felt like things between him and Sungjin were back to normal that was until she appeared and his emotions spiral downward while Sungjin’s spiral upward. Jina Lin was not what she seemed and only Wonpil seemed to know what kind of person she truly was. He regretted that day in the library where he saw his best friend gaze at the girl he loved, Wonpil wished he hadn’t given Sungjin that extra push he needed to talk to her.  
 What started as a brief conversation between Jina and Sungjin led to longer conversations in which Sungjin tuned out everything else around him. Soon he began changing little by little, distancing himself from his friends to spend more time with the girl whom Wonpil knew was using him.  
He heard her one afternoon after school while she stood with a few other girls from their class. Jina laughed and joked about his best friend as if he was nothing to her. She thrived off his friendliest and willingness to do anything she asked, spilling all her secrets among her friends about Sungjin completing her homework, buying her gifts, she even revealed something Wonpil had no idea of, that she and Sungjin were sleeping together and he was only good enough to have sex with instead of being with. 

Personal things like that were something Sungjin would have shared by now, and it made Wonpil sad to know that his friend had chosen to leave him in the dark.  
Jina was a shark in his eyes, she had her teeth so deep into Sungjin it killed him to know how stuck his friend was.   
Wonpil was afraid to mention all the foul things he overheard her say. With how Sungjin was acting lately he knew it would lead to an argument and he couldn’t risk that so he kept it all in.  
He would watch his best friend drift further away to be with a witch who didn’t want to be seen with Sungjin when people were around. That should have told him something, signaled a red flag but when you’re so deep in love you miss all the warning signs.

The school bell rung which signaled it was time for class to start up again. Your teacher began talking, making you yawn immediately. You kept your eyes on the chalk board as he wrote, gaze diverting to Wonpil who turned to look at you with a weak smile.  
“Lunch…?” He mouthed and you gave him a nod. This meant he wanted to eat lunch with you in the usual place on the rooftop where you were sure Sungjin wouldn’t be today by the look on Wonpil’s face.  
Lunch followed your literature class and you went ahead of Wonpil while he tried to get a few words in with Sungjin before he disappeared. Jina left the room with Jae but she caught your eye in the hallway, the scene of her and a boy from the class next door unfolding before your eyes. Her body collided with Brian Kang’s, a delinquent who often skipped classes and fought anyone if he was ticked off enough.   
He glared and Jina stared, it was an interesting moment when you noticed her eyes lingering after him with a similar look Sungjin would give her. Interesting.  
You arrived at the rooftop, the slight breeze feeling great against your skin as you sat down in a corner on the concrete, waiting for your friend to arrive. Your eyes lit up when Wonpil appeared with his paper bag full of food but his eyes were somber.

“Hey Y/n…” He sighed as he sat down close to you, the fabric of his pants  brushing against your skin.  
“Hey…” You gave him a light smile, taking a bite from the sandwich you made. Wonpil ate silently leaving you feeling lonely while in his presence. This couldn’t last, you would be a bad friend if you didn’t ask what was wrong even though you knew what plagued his mind anyway.  
“Are you alright…?” You asked expecting him to answer with a no or shake his head, but instead, he blurted out something that had your eyes widening.  
“Jina is using Sungjin… I overheard her the other day with her snake friends. She’s just playing with him Y/n…” Wonpil turned to you with hurt eyes that had your heart sinking in your chest. He cared so much about Sungjin’s situation it was bound to be his downfall.  
“Wow…” You responded and turned away looking straight ahead. You thought about Jina and Brian earlier, maybe she was in love with someone else but you didn’t think she could be foul enough to play with a sweet guy like Sungjin. He was too kind to be treated that way.   
Wonpil expressed his sadness over it all and you listened just like a good friend should but what advice could you give him?  
You wanted to tell him then and there that he should just let Sungjin make his own decisions and maybe focus on someone else like himself or spending more time with you but the latter would only make you seem selfish.  
You didn’t want to be selfish but there came a night where selfishness was all you could think of. You blew up at him, at the last person you wanted to be mad at but he had to know how you truly felt for once.  
Wonpil was supposed to help you study that night but once again he was thinking about a friend who might as well be a lost cause by now.  
“Is Sungjin all you ever think about…?” You asked, your voice low as you gripped you pencil trying your best not to slam it on the small table you were sitting at in his room.  
“No, I…” You didn’t let Wonpil continue before you raised your voice.

“I’m so tired of this! You’re too nice Wonpil! I know kindness is a great virtue but you can’t let the silly emotions and actions of others hurt you!” You were teary eyed from the anger you felt and the loneliness that ate at your heart from the mental distance he was giving you.   
You remembered when the both of you used to laughed and smile together. Sungjin was around too, everyone was happy and Wonpil looked at you more, your hope for a deeper connection beyond friendship was so strong then.  
“You say Sungjin has changed… but so have you!” You slammed your fist on the table as you stood up and gathered your things, Wonpil stared at you with surprise, his brows creasing at your sudden outburst.  
“I didn’t know you felt this way…” He replied.  
“Of course, you didn’t… my feelings don’t compare to Sungjin’s… my love for you-” You stopped yourself immediately as the word love slipped past your lips. Your front teeth bit into your lower lip so hard you thought you’d see blood. Wonpil stared with a mixture of hurt and confusion settling on his sharp features. You couldn’t handle his somber eyes anymore, hurrying out of his room and out of his house.  
You knew you ruined what little friendship you had with him, negative thoughts flooding your mind as you ran toward home with watery eyes.

**Sungjin:**

  
Sungjin waited near her apartment door, waiting for her parents to leave and then he knew she would come out and get him. His eyes sparkled when he saw her face and he approached her holding out a report she needed to turn in by tomorrow. Sungjin spent hours pulling together information guaranteed to get the girl he was head over heels for an A+. Jina took the stapled papers and thanked him with a swift kiss on his cheek, one that had his heart throbbing so heavily in his chest.

“Thank you.” She pulled him close, lips inches from his which gave him the opportunity to close the distance between them.   
Sungjin kissed her as if his lips didn’t just feel hers yesterday, as if he had been longing for it for years. Jina pulled him into her apartment home and immediately led him to her bedroom which he had seen several times over the past three months. She pushed Sungjin back on the bed and crawled into his lap, her hands cupping his cheeks making him feel loved though in reality she didn’t love him at all and he knew it.  
Sungjin wasn’t oblivious, but he was a fool to let her use him. During the time he spent with her outside of school the loneliness he always felt faded away.   
Jina was a beautiful distraction from his life at home, a mess of mayhem filled with yelling parents who didn’t care about their son witnessing their crumbling relationship, leaving him clinging to the little affection she managed to give him every now and then.  
“Touch me…” Jina pressed sweet kisses to his lips and Sungjin complied. She would get everything she asked for and more. He touched her in a place she needed most and never stopped until it was time for him to go.  
She was bad and he knew it but he couldn’t stop.

* * *

  **Reader:**

 

“You shouldn’t be out here by yourself…” You heard a voice approach you but you were too down to look up, listening to the footsteps of the stranger who soon stopped in front of you.  
“This is a playground… but thugs like to hang out here at night.” It was a male who continued to speak to you and you gave no response. “Hey, are you listening to me?” He sounded frustrated and suddenly you felt a hand on your shoulder which made your red eyes meet his in surprise. You stared at him and he stared back at you with the same expression. It was Brian Kang, ironic how he stated thugs roamed the location when he was considered one of them.  
There was silence between you until he decided to speak again, his voice a lot softer than before.  
“Are you alright…?” He asked as he rubbed the back of his neck feeling awkward to see you in such a state. You looked heartbroken, a wreck and he decided to be polite and see if you were okay with the urgent thought of seeing you home before the goons came out to play. 

His question struck a chord within your chest and you felt your eyes burn once again with hot tears over your blow up with Wonpil.  
You shook your head and squeezed your eyes shut, quietly sobbing without a care about the boy near you.   
You didn’t care at this point if a person like him saw you weak. Brian watched you cry and it tugged at his heart strings, he noticed you a lot at school thinking you were one of the cuter girls in his grade but he never imagined seeing your beautiful features break with emotion from a cause unknown to him.  
You felt a gentle pat on the top of your head, you were too lost in your sadness to appreciate the kindness that the infamous bad boy was showing you. You heard Brian sigh and then he spoke to you again.  
“I don’t know what’s wrong… but let it out until you can’t anymore. Better out than in, right?” His words were true, you had buried so many emotions about Wonpil inside you and it was all coming out on a cloudy night.   
You cried harder, louder and Brian just stood and listened. He felt bad for you. Who could have hurt such a pretty face?  
After a few minutes more of crying your eyes out the fog of sadness began to ease from your mind and you noticed Brian and how he stood by all this time to make sure you were okay.

“Thanks…” You wiped your nose as you got off the swing you sat on.

“For what? I didn’t do anything special.” He had an intense look, one that usually kept others away from him but you saw right through it.  
You shrugged at him with a small smile. “You were here…” You said, for just a little while you didn’t feel as lonely. Brian stared at you as if you said something amazing, and when he realized how long his gaze lingered he turned away, clearing his throat.

“Sure… you should really get going, some pretty horrible dudes show up this late at night. I’ll keep my distance… but let me make sure get home safely.” It was hard for him to offer caring words like that, he wasn’t used to being nice.  
You gave him a nod and gathered your things making sure you didn’t leave anything behind. Brian kept his distance as he said, trailing behind you as you walked, refusing to make further eye contact as if he didn’t know who you were. It was kind of humorous but you appreciated his effort.  
Your heart dreaded the new morning but you worked up the courage to step foot inside your school not sure of where your friendship with Wonpil stood after yesterday. You walked slowly to your classroom, brushing by a group of girls who stalked the school’s star Yoon Dowoon.

You stopped behind a group of rowdy boys joking around in the hallway and held up traffic for everyone else. 

Your eyes found Brian who you were sure was going to pass you while he moved through the crowd as if you had no interaction with him last night. You were surprised when he touched the top of your head like he did before.   
You didn’t notice Jina and Jae witnessing the moment, missing how her loving stare toward Brian turned into a fierce glare toward you. You missed it but Sungjin caught her glances, leaving his heart aching while Wonpil who was by his side looked at you, feeling a similar pain himself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sungjin:**

He couldn’t get the way she looked at him out of his head. It ate away at him the way Jina stared at Brian, revealing everything he didn’t know in a few short seconds. Sungjin knew he didn’t have her heart but he wasn’t going to let a guy like Brian Kang get a hold of it either, he didn’t deserve it.

“Let’s go boys!” There were girls cheering to snap him out of his current thoughts and his lover was one of them. Gym class had been in session for the last fifteen minutes and the boys were set to play a game of basketball giving the girls in the class a break until it was their turn to play.  
Sungjin stood on the court along with Wonpil, the school’s athletic celebrity Yoon Dowoon, Jae the jokester of his class, Brian his new enemy and a few other guys.

“Think fast Sungjin!” Wonpil passed the ball to him quick before Dowoon could swipe it from his grasp. Sungjin dribbled down the court and shot the ball toward the hoop, watching it go in. The crowd of girls cheered but a few were especially loud for Dowoon who didn’t really do much. He was the only guy in school with a huge fan club and it was interesting to see him avoid them all the time.  
Sungjin tried his best to focus on the game but his mind kept wandering to Jina, leaving him to avoid Brian who happened to be on his team, refusing to pass the ball to him and let him score.  
“Wonpil here!” Sungjin threw the ball to his friend instead of Brian who was open, a bad move since Wonpil was the weakest on the team and was caught between Jae and a couple others. The ball was stolen from Wonpil easily and the rival team made the shot.

“Hell yeah!” Jae cheered while he ran around the court boasting about the 3-point shot he just made.  
“What the hell man..?” Sungjin’s attention was torn from Jina’s face when Brian spoke.  
“What do you mean what the hell…?” Sungjin raised a brow, his breath uneven from how hard he was playing the game.  
“You could have passed the ball to me multiple times, you’re messing us up.” Brian wiped sweat from his forehead using the collar of his shirt.  
Sungjin gritted his teeth annoyed by the other male’s comment, everyone around them fell silent watching them go back and forth. Wonpil stood by Sungjin with worried eyes hoping that he’d blow of Brian’s words and the tension would ease so they could continue the sport.

“You want the ball…?” Sungjin asked and snatched the basketball from Wonpil’s hands, shoving it with so much force toward Brian’s chest.  
Jina stood up in the bleachers and so did the rest of the girls at the sudden confrontation. Brian barely caught the ball and threw it down hard, approaching Sungjin quickly.  
“You got a problem with me?” Brian’s tone dropped dangerously low, a wild look in his eyes as he sized Sungjin up.  
“Does it look like it?” Sungjin bumped his chest, not willing to back down until he felt Wonpil pull at his arm trying to wedge his way between them, Jae and Dowoon stepping in as well.  
“Calm down, calm down,” Jae said with a light laugh. “You guys are on the same team remember? That anger should be toward me and my all-star crew.” He joked trying to lighten the mood.  
“Jae’s right Sungjin…” Wonpil agreed. Sungjin backed down and Brian just looked away sucking his teeth.  
“Plus… the coach just came back, unless you two want detention I advise you to cool it.” Jae casually tossed the ball back to Sungjin who caught it, his eyes still on Brian who glared back at him.  
“Let’s play,” Brian said coolly as he walked away getting in position to guard Dowoon.

“Yeah,” Sungjin responded, his eyes meeting Jina who stared at him with an expression he couldn’t decipher. Several emotions swelled in his chest as he turned away from her. Sungjin played the best game he’s ever played fueled by jealousy and aggression which led his team to win.

After class, everyone changed in their respective locker rooms, all the guys leaving except for Sungjin who took his time getting dressed again. He had a lot on his mind, debating if he should ask Jina if she was interested in anyone else and if it happened to be Brian, he had to know for a fact so the thoughts could stop influencing him so heavily.

“You’re still here… we’ll be late for class if you don’t hurry.” It was Wonpil who spoke to him, Sungjin had no idea he still hung around waiting for him.  
“It’s fine, you don’t have to stay here,” Sungjin said coldly as he put on his uniform shirt.

Wonpil gave a slight nod of his head and a faint smile but didn’t budge.

“Sungjin… what happened with Brian earlier…?” That guy is no joke… did he do something?”  
Sungjin slammed his fist against the locker and turned to Wonpil who stared at him with his mouth slightly opened in surprise.

“Just drop it Wonpil, it’s nothing for you to be concerned about,” Sungjin said as he walked away.   
Wonpil was his best friend but lately, Sungjin couldn’t bear to be around him or any other friends of his. His problems at home, the isolation he felt by the people who were raising him was morphing him into a person far different than what he used to be. His smiles these days were only meant for one person. The girl who made him feel alive every time he was around her and every time he kissed her. Jina may not love him now but she could learn, right?  
Sungjin couldn’t give up on her just yet, especially when she was the one who made the pain go away with one simple touch.

 

**Brian:**

 

When he walked down the school’s hallways it was natural for people to move to the side. Most students didn’t want to be near him and preferred to deal with him when it was necessary, take gym class for instance. Brian Kang was the resident bad boy of his school, a reject, the infamous outcast. He had many things said about him over the years, many things he would learn to let go eventually.

He didn’t know how the news got out, but one day during his time in middle school his friends suddenly turned their backs on him, calling him a criminal’s son. That same evening when he arrived home with tears in his eyes, it was confirmed by his distraught mother that the other children’s words were true. Brian Kang was the son of a criminal and no one wanted to be friends with the child of a bad guy. His father had been arrested for a crime.  
Brian kept his eyes straight ahead, the whispers of girls commenting about his appearance entered one ear and exited the other. He didn’t care for a tidy uniform and a stuffy appearance, as long as he wore what the school gave him it shouldn’t matter how it was presented.

“Did you hear? Brian almost attacked Sungjin during a basketball game.” One guy whispered. That made him stop in his tracks and turn his gaze to the person who said it. The boy and his friend froze under his glare leaving Brian to smirk and shake his head as he continued walking.  
Word traveled fast around the school. He found it humorous that the issue with Park Sungjin during the basketball game earlier was already twisted as if it was his fault. He was used to being blamed first over anyone else, Brian was always the wrong one in numerous situations.

“Watch it!” Brian spoke harshly when a body bumped into his. He hated when people didn’t watch where they were walking, he was a victim to numerous body bumps and when his dark eyes met theirs they immediately hurried away.  
“Oh, I’m sorry!” The voice was familiar and when he finally got a good look at the girl who ran into him, his eyes softened. It was you, Y/n. You were the girl he watched cry the other night for whatever reason and the girl he found his eyes lingering after whenever he saw you.

“Oh, Brian…” You gave him a smile and he only stared, snapping out of it when your hand waved in front of his face.

“You alright?” You asked him and his eyes looked away. “Yeah, I’m fine, just be careful next time.” He said. He watched you give a nod before you continued on down the hall, coaching himself not to look after you this time. He should nip whatever feelings he was starting to have in the bud before they could develop any further, he was not meant for love, being alone suited him best.  
His pants pocket vibrated fiercely keeping him still for a few minutes longer. Brian pulled out his cell phone to see a number without a name calling him.  He sighed and swiped the screen to ignore it, only to receive a kakao message from the same caller.

_Don’t ignore me, kid. I need you today, come outside I’ll be there in a few minutes._

Brian frowned, replying quickly.

_I’m in school._

He answered and got ready to pocket his phone until it went off again.

_[ **Bzzt! Bzzt!** ]_

_Stop giving me problems and do as I say._

Brian shoved his phone in his pocket and made his way to the front of the school, looking around to make sure no one saw him leave. A familiar rusty car pulled up off campus, an older guy waving Brian over for him to get inside. He powered walked toward the vehicle, checking over his shoulder to make sure there were no eyes peering from the school’s windows.  
Snatching open the passenger door, Brian climbed in and shut it behind him, the driver speeding off.

“That’s my boy.” The older man spoke with the same grin Brian would see in the mirror. That grin belonged to his father, the man he hadn’t seen in weeks and the person he disliked the most. “I wouldn’t worry about school, for now, Bri you’re gonna end up like your old man anyway.” His father joked. Brian remained silent for a moment, rolling down the window to feel the breeze against his skin.  
“What do you need me for?” He asked bluntly, his father only bothered him like this when he needed something important and usually what was important was some crime he was ready to commit.  
“Just keep watch for me.” His dad answered him, causing Brian to roll his eyes in frustration. He should have stayed where he was, knowing his dad, things could become worse than they already were.

“There’s this punk who has owed me money for some time now, so I’m going to get it myself while he’s at work. Pay his house a little visit you see.”

Brian was silent, he only listened to his dad as he spoke. This was the man who was supposed to protect him and keep him out of trouble and yet here he was dragging him into it.  
The task at hand had him on edge as he sat in the driver’s seat while his dad broke into the home of another man. Brian took a deep breath in and exhaled, his fingers tapping the steering wheel nervously. He could hear his heartbeat thumping in his ears while he checked out his surroundings praying no one would notice him or the robbery happening. He closed his eyes, trying to calm down, anxiety beginning to drown him.  
Brian was not as bad as he seemed, he’d done some bad things here and there, hung around people who had done worse than him, but he really didn’t want to be this way. Deep down he knew he didn’t want to end up like his father, his goal was to be better than him, but it was hard to get rid of the negative stigma that surrounded him each day.  
He squeezed his eyes shut trying to think of something positive and then she came to his mind.  
_Y/n._  
She was the only person with a light around her compared to the rest of the world. Thinking of her  in that moment eased his heart.

“Go, go, go!” The slam of the car door and his father’s panicked voice made him open his eyes, pressing down hard on the gas.

 

**Wonpil:**

  
Wonpil sat alone on the rooftop of the school, he kept his eyes straight ahead while holding a sandwich he made in the morning before he left home. He only took a small bite when he first sat down for lunch losing his appetite minutes later. There was a slight breeze passing by that made his hair tickle his forehead, dark eyes fixated on the door that led back into the school. Wonpil was waiting, waiting for anyone to show up though his heart knew no one would. He didn’t think that at the beginning of the school year he’d be eating lunch alone, Sungjin had always been there, Y/n had always been there and a couple of other mutual friends that dropped by from time to time.

He never imagined the day where he would end up friendless losing one after the other in just a week. Wonpil thought of the issue with Sungjin earlier which tore his heart in two, the boy had never been so cold to him. He thought about Y/n who wouldn’t meet his eyes or return his smile during classes. After the other night when her confession slipped through the cracks and he didn’t go after her, he knew he ruined something special.  
Wonpil didn’t mean to be so caring, he didn’t realize that worrying so much about one friend led him to neglect the other. He recalled all the times he blew her off and talked about someone else instead of asking how she was doing, Y/n would always look to him with a smile and he was an oblivious fool who couldn’t tell she was hurting. He wanted her to be happy.  
There was a time when all he thought about was her from the way she smiled to the way she laughed, especially because of him, but just like that when he thought the most important person to him was in need, his feelings for her cut off like a light switch and he thought it would be okay to turn them on again once Sungjin’s problems were solved. How stupid.  
Kim Wonpil was a fool with his heart torn to pieces to the point where he wasn’t sure if he should try with anyone ever again.  
When his eyes dropped from the door he heard it open, teary eyes lighting up as someone stepped over the threshold. His expression dropped when it wasn’t either of his friends only a small acquaintance.   
It was Yoon Dowoon with his headphones in his ears. He stared at Wonpil with a blank expression before throwing up his hand, signaling a “Hey”. Wonpil gave the male a brittle smile and looked down to the sandwich in his hands, trying to hold back his tears. He was so jumbled with emotions it was becoming hard to sort them.  
Dowoon sat on the ledge of the roof quietly staring up at the clouds. When the sky faded from a bright blue to a gloomy gray he opened his mouth to speak.

“You know…” Dowoon started which slowly snapped Wonpil out of his somber daze.

“Sometimes the person who tries to keep everyone happy is the loneliest…” he finished his sentence. 

Wonpil turned to look at the raven-haired boy who stood up once he felt rain droplets. Dowoon didn’t make eye contact with Wonpil as he shoved his hands into his pockets and made his way back inside. Rain began to pour instantly without his presence and Wonpil remained sitting, his watery eyes watching the food in his hands become a soggy mess.  
Dowoon’s words resonated with him, they were true. He wasn’t expecting a comment like that from someone who didn’t know him well, but maybe in the eyes of others he wasn’t that hard to read.

 

**R** **eader:**

 

You had other friends besides Kim Wonpil, you met them first when you moved to the city in middle school and it was time to do a bit of reconnecting. You were hesitant as you slid open the door to their classroom. A few students turned to look at you, the two friends who you didn’t see much thanks to being placed in different classes, waved you over with a smile that had your heart breathing a sigh of relief.

“Look who it is!” One girl hopped off her desk to give you the biggest hug. “Hey, Alice…” You gave her a warm smile. Your other friend who went by the name of Roo gave a simple nod.  
“Long time no see Y/n.” She smiled as she took a bite of her apple. The two were opposites, Roo was calm and laid back while Alice was a burst of energy. You were in the middle of their personalities.  
You sat down in the empty seat near them with your lunch and placed it on the desk. “Where’s your boyfriend!?” Alice asked with a smile, her words surprising you.  
“What boyfriend?” You answered her question with a question.

“That Wonpil kid, the one you like… you usually don’t come to our room to eat.” Roo answered, reaching over to give your cheek a pinch.  
The mention of Wonpil made your heart sink and you fell silent as you opened your paper bag full of food. They knew Wonpil wasn’t your boyfriend but they liked to tease that he was since the two of you spent so much time together. Alice glanced at Roo and vice versa, then their eyes were back on you.  
You skipped gym class to avoid playing any sport with him and in regular classes, you avoided eye contact. It was awkward now after the other night where you yelled at him and practically told him you loved him in so many words. You felt embarrassed to be around him which is why you were not going to be eating on the rooftop.  
Wonpil probably didn’t miss you anyway, you figured he blew off your argument still keeping Sungjin on his mind.

“Ah well…” You thought hard about how you could explain the complicated situation of unrequited love to them, unsure of where to start.  
Alice twisted a strand of curly hair around her fingertip and reached over to give your back a gentle pat. “You don’t have to say anything Y/n. You can tell us when you’re ready.”  
“Yeah, and if he needs his ass kicked, I’m down for the job,” Roo added with a grin and you knew she was serious.  
“Roo please, it’s fine.” You gave them a genuine smile. Maybe things would work themselves out sooner or later.  
The next day was off to a better start for you, the issue with Wonpil didn’t plague your mind the moment you woke up leading you to eat a healthy breakfast and leave for school on time. When you got to class just about everyone had filed in but Wonpil’s seat was empty. He was usually there early with Sungjin so it was a bit unusual to not see him there at all. You weren’t going to worry about him though at least that’s what you told yourself earlier.  
Classes went by in a flash and Wonpil never showed up, not even the following day and the room started to feel odd without him.

“Sungjin… have you seen Wonpil?” You asked him through the cracks of a book shelf. You were searching for a nice spot to study in the library when you came across him alone without his best friend by his side.  
“No,” Sungjin responded, his chocolate eyes peering at yours before they fell to the book in his hands.  
“I haven’t spoken to him in a couple days.” His tone seemed so off to you, so uncaring which had you worried. Wonpil was slowly crumbling over losing Sungjin and with you only sparing a few seconds to speak to him, knowing he had no idea of where his friend is and if he’s okay, maybe Sungjin was officially lost.

“Okay, thanks…” It took everything you had to keep your attitude in check, deciding to walk away and gather your things. You needed to know if Wonpil was okay even if Sungjin didn’t care..  
You hurried down the hallways of the school, trying to avoid a collision with other students as they made their way toward the exit. School had officially wrapped up for the day. You pulled out your cell phone to send a text to Wonpil who had a habit of answering within seconds but this time he didn’t. Maybe because of what happened between you two.  
Your body ran into someone and you immediately apologized, getting a look at the person’s face. It was Brian and you smiled at him, apologizing again but unlike the last time you ran into him he shot you a cold glare and as he turned to walk away you caught a glimpse of a cut on his cheek.

Brian walked away from you so fast you couldn’t ask what happened but if you saw him again at some point you knew you’d ask then.  
It took fifteen minutes to get to Wonpil’s house from the school and he was at least ten minutes away from yours. When you arrived, you gave his door several knocks waiting for someone to answer. His older sister came to the door with a purse on her shoulder as if she was getting ready to leave.

“Oh, Y/n. What are you doing here?” She asked you with a smile.

“Wonpil… he hasn’t been to school for two days so I got worried.” You answered her, peering behind her to see if you could get a glimpse of him.  
“He didn’t tell you?” She raised her brow a bit confused. “Wonpil’s been pretty sick with a bad cold. I thought you knew… which reminds me I haven’t seen Sungjin either. He’s usually over here trying to give my brother some shitty homemade soup.” She laughed, stopping when she caught your expression.  
She didn’t know the issues between all of you and it was better that way, you weren’t going to bring it up.

“Ah right! I just came to check on him.” You smiled as she stood back to let you in, hoping she’d ignore what you said previously.  
“Sure thing. I’m off to work my parents are not home as usual so I’m a bit relieved you’re here. You can take care of him for a bit.” She grinned as she shut the door behind her. You slipped off your shoes and glanced around the room. It was quiet which made you assume Wonpil was upstairs.  
You made your way up the stairs to his room quietly with your backpack, giving his door gentle knocks before you entered. Wonpil sat up in bed quickly when he saw your face. He looked rough and he immediately snatched a twisted piece of tissue out his nose.

“Y/n… what are you doing here?” He asked, trying to fix his disheveled hair.

You gave him a little smile and sat on the edge of his bed. “Well, you weren’t at school… I got worried.” You answered him.  
Wonpil tried his best to conceal his coughing, turning his head from you while he coughed harshly.

“I’m fine, or I will be in another day… hopefully.” He smiled his usual smile at you and your heart couldn’t help but skip a beat. Those feelings were still there, they wouldn’t fade so quickly.  
“Liar… but I hope you get over this cold soon. You have some school work to catch up on. Our math teacher has been going wild with pop quizzes.” You laughed when Wonpil’s faced dropped, he disliked math the most.  
“That sucks.” He chuckled and then fell silent. The silence carried on for a few minutes until his voice broke through it.  
“I’m sorry Y/n….” Wonpil apologized, making you look him in the eye. “For being a shitty friend.” He added.

“I’m sorry too.” You returned the same apology. “For that night when I stormed off.” You were going to leave it at that, there were no details to sort through, just a simple sorry was enough for you.  
“How did you get a cold anyway? You never get sick.” You said with a laugh, it was true, Wonpil was the one who always visited you on sick days.

“Germs got the best of me for once.” He laughed it off, you didn’t need to know that he spent time crying in the rain.

On your way home after taking care of Wonpil, you called your mom to assure her you were almost there, passing through the park. It was dark out and you didn’t want her to worry. When you hung up the call you noticed a figure sitting on the swing set with his head down. You slowed your steps to get a good look at the person, the street lights hitting his face just right. It was Brian and he had a large bag next to him.

“Hey…” You called out to him as you approached, he raised his head to look at you and you noticed his face bruised under his right eye, it was on the same side you saw the cut earlier.  
“Brian… are you okay?” You asked him, worried as you stopped next to him. He nodded his head and gave a defeated chuckle, turning away from you. “I’m fine, go home. Bad people come out here at night, remember?”  
You did remember him telling you that before. But if bad people came to the park at night, why was he here? He could get hurt, too right?

“You don’t look fine… how did you get that bruise? Was it a fight…?” You didn’t feel nervous at all about asking him these sorts of questions. Most people in your school feared Brian, for a long time you heard he had been an outcast but you weren’t the person to treat people as such no matter the rumors.

“Why do you care…?” He turned to look at you again but this time with a glare, the one he’d always give to people to chase them away but you weren’t going to budge. You saw right through it.

“Well, maybe it’s because you cared that one night… when you saw me crying. I was grateful that you were even there.” You answered him.

Brian scoffed and shook his head but remained silent, prompting you to speak again.  
“I think everyone deserves someone to hear them out when they’re sad…” You added, diverting your eyes to the full moon.  
Brian sat in silence for a few moments longer before sighing. “I did get into a fight but with my dad…things aren’t great at home they haven’t been for a while… we fought and I left.” He explained.  
Your eyes glanced down to the bag next to him and you realized it was filled with clothes.

“I’m sorry…” You apologized, feeling horrible that he had that kind of altercation with a parent..  
Brian shrugged. “I’m used to it….” He stood up from the swing and reached down to pick up his bag, slinging it over one shoulder.

“So where are you going now…?” You asked him curiously as he turned around, ready to leave you.  
“I’ll figure something out.” He answered you, refusing to look you in the eye any longer.

Your heart guided you to reach out to him, you couldn’t leave a person to be in this kind of situation. Your hand landed on his arm and Brian turned to look at you with surprise, his eyes glistening in the moonlight.  
“Come home with me. I don’t think my mom will mind. You can have a safe place to rest tonight.” You smiled as you tugged him toward you.  
“Y/n…. I.” You knew he was about to protest but you ignored him. Brian Kang wasn’t your friend he was more of an acquaintance who knew what to say in your time of need but you hoped this was the start to a nice friendship.  
“Let’s go.” You practically dragged him along for the first bit of your walk home but then he gently pulled his arm out of your grasp to walk along side of you.

“Mom I’m home!” You called out to your mother who peeked around the corner after she heard you enter, surprised to see a boy in her home so late.

“This is my friend Brian he’s having a bit of trouble… is it okay if he stays the night? We could prep him a place on the couch.” You spoke quickly hoping she wouldn’t say no. Brian’s eyes and yours widened when she easily agreed.  
“No problem, it’s nice to meet you Brian. Make yourself at home, I’ll fix you a meal.” Her smile was warm as she disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Brian to stare after her. He saw firsthand where you got your kindness from.  
Dinner was awkward between the three of you at first until your mom made things lighter, clearing the air with embarrassing stories of you as a child. You saw Brian laugh for once, revealing a gorgeous smile you were sure had your own mother swooning.

Bed time arrived and you were satisfied at the setup of blankets and pillows along the couch which seemed comfortable enough for the boy to sleep on. “Bri-” His name didn’t fully leave your lips as you turned around to see him so close to you, running a towel through his wet hair. He looked refreshed and comfy in gray sweats and a baggy t-shirt. He smelled nice too, his aroma making your cheeks flush.

You cleared your throat and smiled. “Well, goodnight see you in the morning.”  
Brian nodded and plopped down on the couch. “Thanks, Y/n…” His lips curled into an appreciative smile, you could tell how genuine he was, his look softer than usual. 

“You’re welcome, sleep tight…” You backed out of the room and headed for the stairs, peeking one more time at him as he laid down.  
You fell asleep feeling accomplished and were glad that he was safe downstairs.

The next morning when you awoke you headed downstairs to find the blankets neatly folded in the living room but Brian Kang was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Reader:**

It was like he vanished into thin air. No one knew where Brian Kang had disappeared to, not even the teachers. There were rumors of him being expelled and harsh words that he might have been locked up. All which made you worry like crazy, it hurt your heart knowing that you were the last person to see him.   
You thought that everything would be okay and considered talking your mom into letting him stay a little longer until he could figure something out, she had never become so fond of one of your friends so quickly, it was like she fell in love when he smiled and soon she would start preaching wedding plans which you’d have to turn down. Your mom was that kind of parent, willing to set you up with any nice young man she liked.  
A week had passed, things were alright with Wonpil and the two of you ate lunch on the rooftop again, occasionally joined by Dowoon who didn’t speak much but his presence was nice to have around. You didn’t bother asking about Sungjin especially when Wonpil didn’t bring him up, he seemed to be over the issues with him and maybe that was for the best. It was sad, however, that a long-term friendship had come to this.

“Are you alright Y/n…?” Wonpil nudged you playfully. You caught on to the end of his and Dowoon’s laughter, zoning out on the joke that was made. You were too busy thinking about Brian. “Oh, I’m fine!” You smiled and nudged him back, taking a bite of the meal your mom made you last night.

“Good.” Wonpil smiled and used his chopsticks to snag a bit of your food.

“Kim Wonpil!” You shouted and gave him a frown, causing Dowoon to snort at the situation. Wonpil placed the piece of shrimp in his mouth with an innocent expression you couldn’t stay mad at for long.

“You jerk.” You muttered trying not to smile back. Wonpil draped his arm around your shoulder.

“I’m sorry Y/n, you can have some of mine.” He offered and you graciously accepted taking more from his lunch box than he expected.

“Hey!” He exclaimed and you laughed with a shrug as you ate his food.

When lunch was over you saw a familiar figure who had everyone stopping to stare.

“Brian…?” You called out his name and he turned around. You felt relief at seeing him safe but all the worrying you had done rose to the surface. You frowned as you marched up to him to everyone’s surprise. “Where have you been?! Do you know how worried I was?”

You completely ignored the students around you, forgetting that Wonpil and Dowoon were right behind you.

“Calm down… I’m fine Y/n. I moved in with my aunt and I will be staying with her from now on, she lives near here…” He responded hoping that would ease your mind.

“You could have called me!” You bickered, making him raise his brow.

“Well, I don’t have your number!” Brian argued back with you, but there was a smile ready to dance across his lips. Your lips formed a pout, a habit when you were slightly upset. You gave Brian a light shove and he placed his hand on top of your head.

“If you’re so concerned about me, I’ll give you my number next time so you can keep tabs. I have to get to class now.” He laughed as he walked away. His comment had your face flushing and you realized that you had put on a scene in front of your whispering peers.

You turned around to your friends, ready to apologize but noticed Wonpil had gone on ahead leaving Dowoon to stare at you with a grin.

“What’s that look for?” You questioned him with a tilt of your head. Dowoon shook his head and walked past you, his silence had you curious as you followed him.

 

**Wonpil:**

Everything seemed to be slowly getting back on track after he got over his cold. Wonpil felt great about his return to school though he dreaded the math work he had to catch up on. He was no longer going to let himself worry about Sungjin, a weight lifting off his chest when he stopped all thoughts about the other male. He found himself speaking to Dowoon more often, even though the boy was more of the silent type, occasionally the two would share a few jokes and talk about music. Wonpil felt glad that he was talking with Y/n again, just a little time without her made his heart feel sick. On this day, he enjoyed his time on the rooftop eating lunch with her and Dowoon and afterward the three headed back to class.  
Y/n who had been walking slightly ahead of him and Dowoon froze suddenly which made his eyes wander to who she was staring at. It was Brian Kang who had been missing for a week. He heard rumors about the male getting kicked out of school or worse and he didn’t know what to believe. There were students who ogled him as always, but what surprised Wonpil the most was Y/n, and how she approached him so confidently, nagging him as if they had known each other forever.  
Wonpil watched the two an odd feeling rising inside him that he didn’t like.

“They’re cute together, hm?” A voice crept up behind him and then he felt an arm drape around his shoulder. Wonpil looked to his left to see Y/n’s friends. Roo and Alice, both with their eyes on her and Brian.

“You’re right Roo, I think they’re adorable.” Alice giggled as she rocked back and forth on her heels. Roo removed her arm from around Wonpil and gave him a pat on the back before she walked away with Alice following. It was like the two were trying to make a point though he wasn’t quite sure what. Wonpil was sure however that he didn’t want to watch Y/n and Brian interact any longer so he went on to class ahead, giving a slight wave good bye to Dowoon.  
In class, he rested his head on his desk not noticing if Y/n had entered the room or not. Seconds later he heard his teacher’s voice which made him raise his head, peeking back at his friend who was now in her seat. Wonpil’s eyes lingered on her while she got out her book, those feelings that he called himself switching off before were definitely on again.

 

**Jina:**

“I can’t believe her… why is she talking to Brian all of a sudden?!” Her voice became higher pitched when she was angry and she couldn’t control it. She noticed the face of her best friend who tried to conceal his laughter which only added fuel to the fire. Jae had always been there to listen to her when she needed to get things off her chest though sometimes she thought he couldn’t be helpful at all.  
Jina knew she should have been in class but right now she wasn’t up to seeing a certain person’s face and that person was Y/n. She never had an issue with her until recently. Not until she realized that the guy she had been in love with for the last year has a thing for her. Brian Kang hardly showed his interest in girls and she was one of those unlucky few no matter how hard she tried but the way he looked at Y/n, the fact that he actually spoke to the girl let her know that he finally found someone to steal his heart.  
Brian Kang was that tough guy and the kind of guy she was most attracted to, she couldn’t keep her eyes off him whenever he was near and hoped for the day where his eyes would only look at her. 

“She’s not even cute I don’t get it!” Jina ran her fingers through her hair in frustration as she paced back and forth. Jae constantly glanced from his phone to her as she spoke.

Her heart raced, anger seeping from her mouth and her eyes welled with tears. She tried so hard with Brian only for him to ignore her every time. Jina gripped her head as she thought back to the time where he helped her out one night. Brian got into a fight over her behalf, saving her from a bunch of guys who hung around the park near by, late at night. She was only there to get away for a while when they approached her trying to sway her into leaving with them. Brian was there to tell them to go away and when they didn’t he took the first swing, protecting her, making her fall in love with him right then.  
After that night, it was like Brian didn’t know she existed and over time it was slowly killing her.

“Jina…” Jae sighed as he pulled her toward him gently, removing her hands from her head. He knew she would start pulling out her hair next if he didn’t stop her.

“You should probably stop chasing after a guy like him, just focus on Sungjin at least he’s sweet,” Jae advised.

“Sungjin’s weak… I only see him when I’m in need, I don’t want him for anything else.” She said bluntly.

“If you keep chasing after a guy who doesn’t even care about your presence you’ll continue being miserable,” Jae said sternly. This was one of those times where he wasn’t going to be much help.

“Shut up!” She yelled at him and hurried away. Jina pulled out her phone to text Sungjin. She was hurting and needed a quick fix to make her feel better again.

_[ Meet me in the music room now. ]_

 

**Sungjin:**

Sungjin stood between bookshelves in the library, flipping through crisp pages of a book he had been interested in checking out for some time now. He knew it would be returned today so he made sure to pick it up before anyone else could snag it and make him wait another week. He felt his pants vibrate signaling that he had received a new text message. His eyes widened slightly at the sender, it was Jina who never asked to meet with him on school grounds, their affairs always began after school was over.

_[_ _Meet me in the music room now. ]_

  
Sungjin’s lips curled slightly at the corners, her message came off as a bit demanding but he was happy to comply.

  
_[ I’m on my way. ]_

“Excuse me…” A light voice tore his gaze away from his phone. It was a girl whom he had seen around before if he wasn’t mistaken she was friends with Y/n and her name started with an A.

“Yes…?” Sungjin answered, locking eyes with her.

“I was wondering if you could help me find this book… it’s called The Rest of Us Just Live Here,” She said. Sungjin glanced from her bright eyes to the book in his hand. “Ah well…” He started to speak, she was asking to find the book he had finally got a hold of.

“Here…” Sungjin handed the book over to her.

“Oh!” She exclaimed taking the book from his hands. “Are you sure? You can keep it since you got to it first, I don’t mind waiting.” She gave him a smile that was so beautiful he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to look away. Sungjin smiled in return and nodded his head.

“I’m sure.” He chuckled. “I’ve been waiting so long to read this I don’t mind waiting a little longer.” He added.

  
“Thank you, you’re sweet um…?” She stared at him as if she was waiting for a name which he responded immediately.

“Sungjin… I’m Sungjin.” He said.

“Alice… when I’m done Sungjin I’ll hand it over to you personally. And maybe we can talk about it afterward?!” Alice asked excitedly which made him laugh and nod once more. She was cute.  
“Sure thing,” Sungjin replied as he turned to walk away with a wave.  Alice gave him a wave before she hurried off to check out the book, his eyes lingering after her a few seconds longer.  
Sungjin arrived at the music room which was usually empty for the rest of the day at this time. He opened the door and entered quickly, switching on the light and pulling down the door shade. He thought Jina would have been there before him but while he waited he decided to sit at the piano and play a little.  
Sungjin played a song he had been practicing since he was a kid, waiting and stopping when he heard a light tap on the door. It opened and Jina stepped through the threshold, shutting the door quickly and locking it behind her.

“Hey…” Sungjin smiled as he watched her saunter over to him. She bent down to kiss his lips harshly. He kissed her back, eyes catching tear stains on her cheeks making him pull away.  
“Have you been crying…? What’s wrong…?” He asked.

Jina sat on top of the piano, pulling Sungjin to stand up in front of her.

“Nothing…” She answered and grabbed his collar pulling him into a kiss, drawing him in between her legs.

Sungjin moaned into the kiss while her hands worked at his zipper, but before she could get any further he pulled away again.

“Jina…” He said her name calmly as she caressed his cheek. “Have you been crying over someone else…? Are you in love with someone?” He asked, watching her eyes widen for a second, her head shaking.

“No…” She replied, her lips moving to his neck, fingers unbuckling his belt.

“Okay…” Sungjin gave a faint smile. 

_Liar._ He knew she was lying, he saw that in her expression and though he thought he could carry on and wait for her to love him Sungjin knew in his heart that he couldn’t do it anymore.  
This would be the last time their bodies would ever meet like this. No more touches, no more kisses.

 

**Brian:**

Life had been looking up for him, for once he felt good as he walked down the halls of the school. People still stepped to the side of course but not as many as before. He heard whispers that he seemed different that he was not as scary as he used to be. His appearance didn’t change, no, but maybe it was his aura that didn’t seem so dark anymore. How could it remain drab when he had such a beautiful light in his life? That night when he sat on the swing and thought his life couldn’t reach another low after the fight with his dad, she showed up and her help was all he needed.  
He felt nervous as he stepped into Y/n’s home, meeting her mother who allowed him a spot on the couch. He watched her with her mom feeling happy instead of envious that she had such a good relationship with her parent. It had him thinking he could have the same support if he just answered one call.  
Brian had an aunt not too far away, the next best person besides his mother who moved away a few years back. His aunt was the sister of his criminal father but she was a better person that he would ever be, offering him a place with her many times before which he never accepted. That night as he laid on Y/n’s couch he gave her a call, eyes welling with tears as he finally agreed to move in and accept the love he’s always needed.  
None of this would have happened if it weren’t for Y/n. She didn’t know it but she was definitely the one knocking down the negativity he relished in and letting the positivity shine through.  
When he saw her after school the day he returned he gave her his kakao id, smiling at her blushing face and lack of words for the moment. It was so she wouldn’t worry about him. He thought kakao might have been a little more comfortable than giving her his phone number. iI she ever got to the point where she wanted to hear his voice or if he wanted to hear his, it also had a call option.

He was surprised when she messaged him that night unable to keep the smile off his face.

_[ Just keeping tabs y’know… ]_

She was witty, using his words against him which made his heart beat for her even more.

 

**Reader:**

“Party?” You repeated with the raise of your eyebrows at the dancing girl in front of you. It was Alice who was pumped about a party a kid named Sammy was having later at night. Alice had interrupted your conversation with Brian in the hallway to invite you along with her and Roo. The last time you went to a party you didn’t enjoy it much and left early, you weren’t sure if you felt up to relive another night like that.

“I don’t know…” You answered, prompting Alice to put on a cute act.

“Pleasee, Y/n? I feel like it’ll be fun.” Alice whined and you sighed.

“I think you should go.” Brian agreed and Alice clung to his arm as she cheered, surprising him. You laughed and sighed again.

“Alright, but you have to go to.” You grinned. You noticed Wonpil and Dowoon out the corner of your eye as they were about to pass by.

“You guys too okay?” You smiled.

“Us too? What do you mean…?” Wonpil asked curiously, his eyes glancing over at Brian. “There’s a party tonight that Sammy Boy is hosting,” Roo answered him.

“I’ll be there.” Brian interrupted. Wonpil tore his gaze from the other male to look at you.

“I think I’ll skip out,” He gave you a small smile before walking away.

Your face dropped a little. Wonpil was just like you when it came to parties, he didn’t care much for them, but you were hoping he would go with the thought of dancing with him at some point in the back of your mind.  
Night fell and the party arrived quicker than expected, soon you were dressed up deciding to wear a little bit of makeup, standing outside Sammy’s door with your friends at your side.   
The door opened and the music hit you in the face, the loud bass echoing around you as you, Alice and Roo stepped inside. It was crowded and you could barely feel the air conditioning as Alice tugged you further into the crowd, your eyes searching for more familiar faces, surprised to see Sungjin but not surprised to see Jina and Jae.  
Your eyes landed on a face you had hoped wouldn’t let you down. Brian was posted on the wall with a red cup in his hand. His eyes met yours and he smiled, waving you over. Alice and Roo parted ways to do their own thing while you navigated your way over to Brian, relieved to be out the center of the crowd.

“Hectic, isn’t it?” He chuckled as he took a sip from his cup. You gave him a nod and stood right beside him. Being next to Brian was the safest place to be and you were glad he came.

“We can spend our time here and watch the craziness if you want?” He grinned and nudged you gently. You smiled back at him, taking his cup out of his hand to take a sip before handing it back.

“I’d love that… but let’s have at least one dance.” You smiled and reached to grab his hand, luring him away from the wall. You weren’t the best dancer but you didn’t mind showing what little moves you had to him. As days passed the two of you had grown closer and soon Brian felt like a friend you never wanted to see disappear from your life, he was genuinely a nice guy no matter if other people couldn’t see that.

You began to dance and Brian danced back. His movements surprised you, Brian was a good dancer and by looking at him you’d never expect  him to be. As his body got closer you felt your face flush, especially when the song switched into something a lot slower.  
Your heart jumped as he carefully guided you closer to him, eyes looking to meet his, feeling as though you were losing yourself in his chocolate orbs.  There was a feeling fluttering through your stomach, a similar feeling you had with Wonpil but the odd thing is that it had been there for a while with Brian too.  
You noticed him leaning in, your eyes on his lips. You were starting to think you wouldn’t mind if he kissed you but something in the back of your head urged you to look away and then you saw him enter the house. It was Wonpil who looked a little different. While your eyes focused on him you didn’t notice how Brian’s fell in defeat.

 

**Wonpil:**

Wonpil stood outside the door of the party for a few minutes, taking a deep breath in and exhaling. Dowoon stood beside him without a word, not pressuring him to enter right away. Wonpil had a lot on his mind and it all involved one person and that person was Y/n.  Lately, she had been on his mind non-stop and though he was around her, eating lunch, laughing, his heart thumped something fierce as if it needed him to get a few words of his chest.  
He needed to tell her how he felt, how he always felt even though he didn’t show it. He sat at home after school, thinking about her and about Brian and how he hoped the boy didn’t have her heart just yet. Wonpil called Dowoon up as he got dressed, asking the quiet male to tag along with him to the party, he didn’t want to go in alone and he was happy when Dowoon easily agreed.  
He turned to his sister for help with his hair and she styled it nicely, parting his bangs to reveal his forehead, a look she was sure would make the girls go wild but he only wanted one girl to notice him.  
Inside the party, his eyes scanned the scene until he found Y/n but she was with Brian. Wonpil fought through the thought of backing down and leaving her to be but when he noticed her staring in his direction it boosted him to make his way across the room with a call of her name.

“Y/n…” He smiled at her then look to Brian. “Do you mind if I cut in?” He asked the male who gave him a nod, backing off with a faint smile to allow Wonpil time with her.

“You look great, I can’t believe this is you…” She smiled, reaching up to lightly brush her hand against his hair.

“Thank you…” Wonpil blushed and started to dance a bit as he tuned into the beat of the song. He kept his eyes on her and she kept his eyes on him, when the music slowed Wonpil courageously wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. He noticed her eyes fell for a few seconds, and he smiled, feeling content that he decided to show up after all. When the song ended he stopped and leaned in to whisper in her ear.  
“Want to take a walk?” He asked and she happily agreed. Wonpil took her hand and led her out of the party ignoring the eyes that stared at them. It was nice and cool outside, the temperature better than what it was in doors.

“I’m happy you came.” Y/n smiled at him and he smiled back, his hand still holding hers, he didn’t want to let it go.

“Y/n…” Wonpil stopped walking and turned to her.

“I love you…” He confessed, watching her eyes widen in surprise. 

“Wonpil I…” She said his name with a tone he wasn’t expecting, her voice was sweet as it had always been but lying underneath was heartbreak, he could tell that he was a little too late.

 

**Jina:**

She tried to keep herself as calm as possible as she approached him. Jina wasn’t going to let the moment Brian and Y/n had just moments ago stop her this time from getting his attention. She made her way to the wall he leaned on with a cup in her hand, casually taking sips as she worked up the courage to speak. When she finally turned to him his eyes met hers and her face flushed immediately.

“Hi, Brian I…”

“If this is about a dance… I’m sorry but I’m not feeling too well. I’m going to head out.” He cut her off with a small smile, the first time he’s ever curled his lips at her.

Jina stood as she watched the boy she was in love with walk away from her again, all the energy she had to finally speak to him gone. She could feel her eyes burning, threatening tears as she pulled out her cell phone to text Sungjin who stood with a girl across the room.

_[ Meet me upstairs…? I need you… ]_

She met his eyes briefly, noticing him responding to her message. Jina waited for his text, when it arrived and she read it, her tears fell.

_[ I can’t… I’m not doing this anymore Jina. ]_

  
She didn’t notice Jae watching her as she ran out the door to get some air instead of crying in a place where everyone could see.

“Jina!” Jae called her name but she didn’t look up from the palms of her hands.

“I’m so stupid Jae…” She spoke as she heard his footsteps stop next to her.

“How can I be so crazy in love with a person who doesn’t even know I exist…?” She sobbed.

“Sungjin doesn’t even need me anymore… I know I’m a horrible person for using him but I didn’t expect that to hurt too…”

Jae was silent as he watched his best friend have a breakdown for the last time.

“You are horrible for using Sungjin Jina… you’re a fool for begin in love with Brian.” The fact that Jae agreed with her was the confirmation she needed to help her move on.  
“But you’re also a fool Jina… for not noticing that I’m someone who’s loved you all along.” She didn’t raise her head to see the smile on his face but she felt his arms wrap around her and she cried into his chest.

“Jae…” She sniffled as he placed a kiss on the top of her head, these were the arms she belonged in.

 

**Sungjin:**

Sungjin watched the girl who had a tight hold on his heart run out the door leaving him relieved. He couldn’t feel sorry for denying the girl who had used him up for days and played games with his vulnerable heart. He spent an entire night thinking and even interrupted his parents who were sleeping to talk about the things that had been bothering him for once. It was a freeing feeling to get all of the pent-up emotions he held in for the last few months off his chest, making him feel light again.

“Are you alright Sungjin?” Alice’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he turned to her with a smile.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He answered and she continued her talk about the book they’ve both read, this was a connection he was looking forward to seeing grow.

**Reader:**

His words echoed through your ears, this was the confession you had been waiting for, it was also a confession you’d never thought you’d hear. Kim Wonpil was in love with you. You imagined this moment plenty of times before, imagined your heart swelling and soaring into the clouds, but the moment he walked through the door your heart didn’t skip a beat at the sight of him like it used to. You would always love Wonpil, he was your friend, your best friend for that matter, but you were not in love with him anymore.

“Wonpil I…” You paused trying to find the right words to say.

“It’s fine, I just wanted to get it off my chest….” He gave you that same smile he always did and you smiled back, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.  
Wonpil noticed someone and nodded his head in their direction. “It looks like he’s leaving… I think you should go catch him.” He smiled and let your hand go. You turned to notice Brian walking down the street and that’s when you heard the sound of your own heartbeat in your ears.

“Thank you…” You looked at Wonpil one last time before hurrying after Brian.

“Hey, you!” You called out to him, prompting him to turn around. You ran as fast as you could to catch up to Brian who gave you a confused look.

“I thought you left with your friend Wonpil…” Brian said, his eyes looking everywhere else but yours.

“I was with him but I decided to come after you.” You gave him a smile.

“Why? You should be with the person you love…” His eyes finally met yours. You never knew Brian caught on to the way you felt about Wonpil but he needed to know that those feelings faded.

“Well, I think I’m in the right place…” You felt as though you would die right there when you said those words, Brian’s eyes lighting up like you had never seen and for once he had a shy smile on his lips. You reached for his hand and he took yours in his, the two of you enjoying slow steps under the moonlight.

 

**Wonpil:**

Wonpil made his way down the hallway with his lunch in his hand, trying not to stare at the lovey-dovey sight that was Park Jaehyung and Jina in the hallway. He should have expected best friends like that to become lovers and though Jina caused some issues with Sungjin before, he was happy she found happiness.  
He opened the door that led to the school’s rooftop, shuddering at the cool air that hit his face. The temperature was slowly dropping as the seasons began to change, in a couple more months it would be snowing and he wasn’t sure if he’d be eating on the rooftop then. He sat down on the concrete with his lunch bag between his legs, waiting for everyone else to arrive, he didn’t want to start eating just yet.  
The door opened and Alice stepped through first with a wave, Sungjin right behind her. “Hey, hey!” She smiled and Wonpil replied with a wave of his own.

  
“Hey man…” Sungjin smiled as he sat down next to Wonpil. Things were right again between him and his best friend, Sungjin apologized a million times and finally let him in on the issues that made him go astray. Wonpil forgave him and accepted the new love he found in Alice, supporting the book nerds.

  
Roo came through the door next, frowning at the couple who left ahead of her again and it wouldn’t be long before she’d playfully accused Sungjin of stealing Alice away from her. Dowoon showed up with a girl he had been spending time with, he didn’t think the quiet guy would open up on that level but he was glad he found someone who could probably get more words out of him than anyone else.  
The last two showed up late as usual but when they finally walked through the door Wonpil smiled. Y/n and Brian had been going strong and after getting to know Brian better for himself Wonpil thought he was the best match for his friend.  
Everyone sat around chatting and eating making him feel content. He wanted every day to continue on like this where everyone was happy and far from lonely.

“So, are you guys up for going to the amusement park this weekend?” Y/n asked. “I’m down.” Wonpil agreed and so did everyone else.

“Is it okay if I invite Jae and Jina too…? Jae overheard me talking about it and…” She sighed and laughed, prompting Sungjin to laugh too.

“I’m fine with it.” He nodded, wrapping his arm around Alice.

“Me too.” Wonpil agreed.

“I feel bad that Wonpil over here doesn’t have a date though.” Sungjin teased Wonpil as he took a sip from his water bottle.

“He has me,” Roo answered with a grin, making Wonpil choke.


End file.
